


The Grove

by mcgarrygirl78



Series: The Grove [1]
Category: Criminal Minds
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angst, Drama, F/M, Friendship, Humor, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-10-16
Updated: 2011-10-16
Packaged: 2017-10-24 16:34:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 14,396
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/265596
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mcgarrygirl78/pseuds/mcgarrygirl78
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“Would a girl with no attachments succumb to peer pressure from the most popular entity in a very large school?”</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Grove

**Author's Note:**

> Please ignore any age differences; they don’t call it AU for nothing. Also, the name of every character in this story comes from some episode of Criminal Minds. Thanks to TV.com for giving me all the information a girl could ever need. Barton-Cosgrove International Day School is from the annals of my vivid imagination.

  
**Winter 1989**   


“I really need you to look after Reid when I'm gone.”

“You act as if you're going to die.” The bell rang and Mr. Phillips’ fourth period AP physics class rushed the door as if it were a fire alarm. Jason Gideon and Aaron Hotchner did their best not to be knocked over. Hotch clutched his textbooks closer to his chest. “How many times do you need to tell me, Jason? I am going to look after him. I promise.”

“I tried to get him to come with me. He would have had no problem testing out of the twelfth grade or getting into Penn.” They stood away from the throngs of students in the crowded hallway. Gideon leaned on a locker. “He told me that he wanted the full high school experience, for what that’s worth. He already feels weird being a 13-year-old junior. Putting him into college before he’s ready could tear him to pieces.”

“I remember 13.” Hotch mused. “I wouldn’t have wanted to be in this zoo.” He waved absently to a girl walking by who said hello. “I’ll watch out for him.”

“Look, I mean more than making sure bastards like Frank don't stick him in lockers.” Gideon sighed. “That guy is a damn sociopath of the highest order. Anyway, you know his dad bailed a few years ago.”

“Reid mentioned it once.”

“Well, his mom is sick Hotch.”

“What kind of sick?”

“I don’t want to get too personal but he’s practically taking care of himself and he’s just a kid. You ever notice that his socks rarely match.”

“I didn’t want to say anything.” Hotch replied.

“Yeah well, he…”

“Gideon, Gideon, guess what!” Spencer Reid came running toward them, a book bag half his size hanging precariously from his back. Hotch was sure that a light wind could tip the teenager over. He wore brown slacks, a white shirt, and a brown Mr. Rogers button down sweater on his skinny frame. Brown tie up shoes straight from Hotch’s grandfather’s closet were on his feet. “Guess what?” he asked again, catching his breath and pushing his oversized glasses back on his face.

“What?” Gideon asked.

“I did it. I asked out a girl, just like you told me to. I did it Gideon.”

“Good job, kid.” Jason patted his shoulder. “Who?”

“JJ.”

“You asked out JJ?” Hotch asked.

“Yeah. I did it just like Gideon showed me. She likes movies and so do I.”

“Did I just hear the mayor of Munchkin City say he asked out a girl?” Derek Morgan approached his friends. He tousled Reid’s hair laughing, the shorter kid pushing him away. Nodding acknowledgment to Hotch, he and Gideon pounded fists. The star quarterback had his pick of any crew in the halls but he usually chose them. Being the center of attention had its rewards but sometimes Derek didn’t want the scripted movie his life could easily become. With Gideon’s gang he could be himself and not be judged.

“He asked out JJ.” Hotch filled him in.

“Holy ball buster, Boy Wonder.” Derek laughed at his own joke. “What did she say?”

“Well she said no. But...she’s a part of a mentoring program and there is a girl there who is 13. JJ thinks she might like me and we’re all going to the movies on Sunday.”

“Hot damn,” a rare smile crossed Jason Gideon’s face. “Reid, you're about to become a man.”

“I am?”

“Yeah.” Hotch nodded. “Let’s go to lunch; we’ll tell you all about it.”

They headed down the hall and two flights of stairs to the cafeteria. His friends chatted around him but Hotch’s heart wasn’t completely in it. Six weeks since Haley broke up with him and he still couldn’t get her off his mind. His mother told him the pain wouldn’t go away easily. He should try to get her back if he really wanted to. Haley wasn’t interested. He did not live up to her expectations or his potential.

She needed someone who put her first at least some of the time. He stretched himself too thin, just wasn’t cutting it as steady boyfriend material. It was pretty sad that Reid was about to go on his first date and Hotch would probably be reading at home all weekend. Maybe Morgan was right when he encouraged him to get back out there. The school was filled with amazing girls and Hotch certainly was a catch.

***

JJ rolled her eyes when she saw him hanging by the gate. Practice was over; the sun was beginning to set in the nation’s capital. It was JJ’s job today to collect all the balls used by Barton-Cosgrove School’s Girl’s soccer team. She hauled the heavy mesh sack over her shoulder and walked toward him.

“What are you doing out here?” she asked.

“Watching.”

“There’s a law against that you know.”

“Actually, there isn’t.”

“Well there should be.”

“You’ll get no argument out of me.” David Rossi smiled, slipping his hands into the pockets of his expensive slacks. “You looked great out there, JJ.”

“Aren't you cold? The temperature’s dropping.”

It was mid January; winter in DC could be brutal.

“I'm Italian, we’re hot-blooded creatures.”

“No comment.” JJ rolled her eyes. She let him hold the gate open for her and she started back toward the gymnasium. It was cold and even dressed in sweats with long underwear underneath JJ felt the chill. David kept her pace; she fought the urge to look at him.

“How are you getting home tonight?” he asked.

“The campus van service runs until 7pm. It will take me to the train station.”

“I can take you to your door.” He replied.

“Mmm hmm. Where is the Wicked Witch of the West, I mean Erin?”

David smirked and that made JJ smile.

“I don't know,” he shrugged. “Probably off planning world domination with the other blondes.”

“I'm a blonde.”

“No,” he held the gym door open for her, admiring her ass as she walked through. “You're a strawberry blonde…a world of difference. Just let me take you home. Its cold and I won't try anything. Scout’s honor.”

“You were never a Boy Scout.”

“True.”

“I am not afraid of you, David.”

“Good.”

She wouldn’t say she was afraid of herself, Rossi already knew. JJ hated that he always seemed to read her mind. She had a boyfriend, Will LaMontagne, who she had been dating for about seven months. They didn’t have a lot in common but she truly enjoyed his company. Their circle of friends was different.

Will hung out with the blue-collar scholarship students. While the Jarreaus were far from rich, her full soccer scholarship put her on a different rung of the social ladder. David Rossi of course was higher but somehow they frequently ended up at the same places. At Elle Greenaway’s 17th birthday party there was a very hot petting session in the drawing room. She almost let him go all the way; JJ felt so out of control in his embrace.

Since that time, a few weeks before the Christmas holiday, she avoided Rossi like the plague. She had goals, her eyes on the prize, and a guy like him would only push her off course. Rich guys got what they wanted from girls like her and disappeared. She didn’t need that or the wrath of Erin Strauss and the blondes. High school was insane enough.

“OK, fine. Just wait out here; I’ll be back.”

“How do I know you won't sneak out the back door?” he asked, again wearing that knowing smile.

“You don’t.”

***

“Hi!”

Penelope Garcia smiled at Emily Prentiss and she returned it. Garcia’s Wednesday ensemble was not a shock to those who knew the eccentric sophomore well but it caught Emily a bit off guard. She wore a black and red plaid dress with bright red tights and black patent leather platform Mary Janes. Her shocking blonde hair was in pigtails held together by red pom-pom barrettes. Cat shaped glasses framed her round, friendly face.

“Emily is the new exchange student.” JJ said.

“Its weird being called that,” Emily said. “I'm American.”

“Then where exactly are you exchanging from?” Garcia asked.

“My mother did ambassador work in the USSR. With so many changes going on in the eastern bloc countries she thought it better to send me back here to finish secondary school. She still runs the American Embassy in Odessa.”

“Whoa…awesome.”

“Not entirely.” Emily nervously brushed a dark brown lock behind her ear.

“I guess the grass is always greener.” JJ said. “Let’s get lunch. You're about to be introduced to real life at Barton-Cosgrove International Day School…the cafeteria.”

“This place is huge.” Emily said, looking around. “I had private home tutors in the Soviet Union.”

“We used to be two schools,” Garcia told her. “Barton boys and Grove girls had two different buildings with a shared gymnasium and cafeteria on one sprawling campus. The schools merged under Title IX in 1976. Nothing much changed except the classroom dynamic.”

“And the dress code.” JJ added as they entered the cafeteria. “It can get downright risqué when the weather turns warm. Everyone finds loopholes in the code and it drives the teachers mad. OK, the freaks sit at the corner table. I did not name them that just so you know. Mostly Goths, potheads, and Cure fans.”

“I like The Cure.” Emily replied.

“Not like these guys.” Garcia said. “I do see your look as a little Goth. Black turtleneck, black tights, red lipstick…well Goth meets Nordstrom. Is that your natural hair color?”

“Since the day I was born.”

“Geeks are next to them,” JJ went on. “But they're separated into major subgroups and rarely mix. Those are the techie geeks, that table is the science and math geeks, and those are the book geeks…history, English, blah blah blah.”

“That table has been empty forever.” Garcia said of the one next to the book geeks. “New kids drift in but soon find their subgroups.”

JJ pointed out the international table, the jocks, who didn’t bother to separate themselves by sports, as well as the cheerleaders. There were the theater kids, the sociopaths, run by Frank, the writers and artists (never to be confused with the literary geeks), the scholarship/poor kids, the brunettes, run by Elle Greenaway, and finally the blondes.

“Erin Strauss runs the school if you let her tell it.” JJ said.

“Her father is a high-ranking whatever at the FBI; her mother works for the State Department.” Garcia added.

“I know of her. Our mothers are friends, as much as one can be friends in the political world. Do they really only hang out with blonde-haired girls?”

“Sweet…its chicken nugget day! Exceptions have been made over the years,” Garcia said as they got in line. “They encourage Performing Preference if you get my drift.”

“Yeah,” Emily nodded. “What about that smaller table over there?”

“Oh that’s the gang.” JJ said. “People float in and out…they have a mostly open door policy. Still, it’s usually just the four of them, social science and law geeks. Garcia and I like to think of them as our boys. Jason Gideon is the moody one.”

“Not moody, brooding I think.” Garcia replied.

“You're right. OK, Gideon is the brooding one. His brown eyes tell a beautiful story but you will probably never hear it…he is very to himself. Hotch is a natural born leader but it takes a while to really get to know what he is thinking. Unless he doesn’t like you, then watch out. Hotch hates BS. Derek Morgan is the school’s star quarterback and ladies man but the people who really know him realize he has a beautiful soul. He will fight til the end for the people he cares about. Oh, and no matter what he tells you, he is so a _Doctor Who_ fan.”

“Tom Baker is his favorite.” Garcia added.

“I like him already. Who is the little kid?” Emily asked.

“Do not call Reid a little kid to his face.” Garcia warned. “He’s sensitive.”

“Spencer Reid is a genius.” JJ went on. “He has eidetic memory and can read more books in a weekend then I’ll read in a month. He is a sweetie and Gideon looks after him…his dad bailed on the family when he was a kid. Well a littler kid.”

“What about the guy talking to you outside of chemistry class yesterday, JJ?”

“Oh my God, that is…he is the most boorish, self-centered, hypocritical…”

“She’s in love with him.” Garcia said, successfully dodging JJ’s arm. “His name is David Rossi. He is the editor of the school newspaper and Barton-Cosgrove’s version of Don Vito Corleone. Hey guys!”

“Baby girl, you are rocking those shoes.” Derek patted the seat next to him.

“On sale at Marshall’s. A gift for negotiating free cable for my stepdad.”

“How did you do that?” Hotch asked.

“I don’t give away my secrets, boss. Let’s just say that the Nintendo box is for more than Mario.”

“You're going to be arrested one of these days.” Gideon said, eating an apple and reading _Newsweek_.

“Probably. The government will bail me out. My mom always says they want the really dangerous ones working for them instead of against them. You could be talking to a future CIA secret Agent.”

“Who’s your friend, JJ?” Hotch asked, smiling at Garcia’s words.

“Guys, this is Emily Prentiss. She’s a new exchange student. Her mother works for the American Embassy in Odessa.”

“Elizabeth Prentiss is your mother?” Hotch asked, shaking her hand. Her firmness matched his and that was a pleasant surprise.

“Yeah. Do you know her?”

“My father did. He was counsel at the State Department for years before he died.”

“Alex Hotchner was your dad? Small world.”

Hotch concealed his smile, pulling his hand from hers. She shook everyone else’s hands including Reid.

“Does your mother think that glasnost will really lead to democracy?” Reid asked. “ _The New York Times_ thinks it could lead to the annihilation of some of the smaller Baltic countries without help from the Soviet machine.”

“Sorry Reid, I really hate politics.” Emily sipped her Coke.

“Oh. Well, what's your favorite book?”

***

Emily was a student at Barton-Cosgrove for three weeks when they approached her. She left JJ after Lit class, heading to her locker before Russian. The smell of their expensive perfume reached Emily before they did.

“Hi.”

“Um, hello.”

“I'm Haley Brooks and this is Kate Joyner.”

“Hi.” Kate gave her a variation of the Miss America wave.

“Emily Prentiss.” She opened her locker and began switching out books. Didn’t want to have to swing through again after lunch.

“We know who you are. You’re the new exchange student.” Kate said.

“OK. So you know me and now I know you…what can I help you with?”

“Actually, I think we can help you. The Grove is a big place.” Haley said. “Lots of people are battling for supremacy, and leadership at any one time is precarious. If you're seen with the wrong people the next two years here could be a nightmare.”

“You're already a step behind, as an exchange student and all.” Kate added.

“I've met some terrific people since I've been here and I am sure to meet more.”

“Then it’s your lucky day.” Kate said.

“How so?” Emily asked, closing her locker. She walked down the hall and they followed.

“Erin Strauss requests your presence at her lunch table this afternoon.” Haley said. “Consider this a once in a lifetime opportunity.”

“If you say so.”

“Don’t do this Prentiss.” Kate said. “Don’t let those social science geeks ruin your chance at something good. Erin rarely asks people, you are quite lucky. She only asks once.”

“Are you are willing to give up what you could have to keep company with scholarship skanks like Jennifer Jarreau?” Haley asked.

“Isn't my hair the wrong color?” Emily countered, willing for now to let the crack on JJ slide. “I've considered going red but I think blonde will make me look washed out.”

“Rules are made for exceptions.” Haley replied.

 _Wow_ , Emily thought to herself, _did you come up with that one all on your own Blondie_.

“Well I don’t want to be late for class, so…”

“Be there at 5th period.” Kate said. “It is surely to your benefit.”

“Yeah.” She nodded and rushed up the stairs.

“What does Erin see in her?” Haley asked her best friend, rolling her eyes.

“Her mother is important; Erin is thinking of the future.”

“You and I are set to run this school when she graduates in June. I do not want Princess Anastasia ruining that for us. We earned it.”

“Elle Greenaway is not going to let a valuable brunette get away. Calm down…she will spring into action as soon as she sees her at the table. Prentiss seems content halfway down the social ladder with Hotch and those guys anyway. More power to her.”

“Aaron still loves me.” Haley said.

“OK.” Kate held up her hands. “I'm not saying he doesn’t. Emily Prentiss is no threat to us, Haley. Do not go _Heathers_ on me…keep your head in the game. We have others who want to follow our lead.”

“Are we sure of our standing?”

“As sure as the sun will rise tomorrow. C’mon, we have to meet Erin in the library for study hall. Shake it off, OK?”

Haley nodded and they headed in the opposite direction.

***

“That was fast.” Hotch muttered. He picked over his meatloaf with a sour look on his face.

“What?” JJ looked up from her AP American History textbook.

“Prentiss is sitting with the blondes.”

“That defies the odds.” Reid said. “She is only the third brunette I've seen sit at that table since I've been a student here. Sarah Morgan, assured a spot as the first African-American blonde, opted out for the writers and the other was Elle Greenaway. She just took their idea and made it into something more adventurous.”

“Adventure is probably Elle’s middle name.” Derek said. He and Garcia were heavy into a game of tic tac toe. “My sister didn’t need those kinds of chicks anyway; she never regretted the decision.”

“Emily and I had a long conversation about the lunch thing. I told her to go for it.”

“Why would you do that?” Garcia asked.

“C'mon guys, I like Emily a lot.” JJ put her finger in the page of her book and closed it. “She’s been home tutored since she started school at five…she’s 12 years behind the rest of us. She deserves to explore every aspect of this experience. Fraulein Strauss rarely extends invitations to her table. Emily should judge them for herself, not hate them because I do.”

“You’re right.” Garcia conceded. “I really like Emily too though and I don’t want to see her change to fit some rigid mold. That’s what she’s been trying to get away from.” She smiled at Derek. “Again lover? How many times do you want me to spank you?”

“You wish you could spank me, mama.”

“Oh yes, oh yes I do.”

“Get a room.” Gideon said to the non-couple couple. They had been going like this since meeting over a year ago in Garcia’s freshman year. No one knew what it was about…it was their own special thing. “You’re testing her JJ. How do you think she will do?”

“I am not testing her, at least not consciously. I don’t know how she will do. I don’t know her that well.”

“She said three weeks ago that she hated politics.” Reid said. “If adventure is Elle’s middle name, then politics is Strauss.’”

“Elle won't let it stand anyway.” Derek said. “It’s an unspoken rule that blondes can't infringe on brunette territory without like some massive meeting at the hair salon.”

Gideon smirked.

“I should have brought my popcorn. This might be a good show.” Hotch was muttering again.

“It’s worth it to possibly see the Bobbsey Twins get into a bitch fight for supremacy.” Garcia replied laughing.

“If Prentiss wants to hang with the likes of them then she deserves it.” Hotch said.

Jason glanced at him. Hotch seemed very angry about Emily’s sudden jump from relative obscurity. What did he really expect; she was an Ambassador’s daughter. Still, the past three weeks she had been content to hang around pontificating and arguing with them about everything from crime rates to classic films and literature. It could just be because she was about to become chummy with his ex. If he didn’t care about her, and Hotch was adamant that he didn’t, what was he so upset about? For three weeks he all but ignored Emily, difficult with Jason sitting her between them in AP Calculus. Now he had plenty to say.

“Troll spotting, 4 o’clock.” Garcia said through closed lips.

“You see Emily,” Strauss said as they approached the gang’s table. “The cafeteria is similar to the real world. Sometimes one has to mingle with the undesirables throughout the day.”

“The very undesirable.” Haley added, cutting her eyes at Garcia.

“The sad part is,” Kate’s blue eyes connected with Hotch’s hazel. “Some are never going to reach their full potential. They are willing to settle for a life of mediocrity with the masses. It’s a real shame. Hello Aaron.”

“Keep walking, Kate.”

“Some people never learn.” She said, shaking her head.

***

You did not turn down a chance to be at an Elle Greenaway function if you were lucky enough to get an invitation in your locker. The heavily disputed second most popular girl at the Grove knew how to throw a blowout. Her parents were part of the DC machine; father a high-ranking hoo-hah at the US Secret Service and her mother a Cuba expert at the National Security Administration. They had the tendency to travel a lot, leaving Elle to make her own way at the Glover Park house alone since she was 15. It was always the place to be. Small and intimate or big and out of control, Elle’s parties were talked about for months afterward.

As the first week of March ended, Barton-Cosgrove went on Spring Break. Elle decided to celebrate by having a blowout at her place before the more privileged students spread around the country and the world. She would be going to Dublin herself to spend some time with the Greenaway clan of County Louth. She spent her last night before her afternoon flight on Aer Lingus getting plastered on expensive booze and flirting mercilessly with every guy, and some of the girls in the room. Not that anyone minded the extra attention. Elle’s gatherings were notorious for the awesome random hookup.

“I just wanted to find somewhere private we could talk.” David said.

Handing JJ a beer, he closed the door behind him. She could still hear the pulsing bass of the Psychedelic Furs singing Love My Way. She should have brought Will tonight but he was working his job at the movie theater. He was working doubles to pay for the Springsteen tickets his father fronted for he and JJ. He was not there and she was once again in the study with David Rossi.

“I don’t think we have much to talk about.”

“Why do you hate me so much?” he asked.

“I don’t.”

“Then you could be nicer to me.”

“Why should I be? Answer me that. That’s what your girlfriend is for…tell Erin to get off her throne and be nicer to you.”

“Dammit Jennifer.” He turned her by her shoulders to face him. “Do you want me to break up with Erin? All you have to do is say the word and it’s done. Is that what you want me to do?”

“I don’t give a damn what you do.” JJ replied.

Letting out a groan of frustration, Rossi grabbed her close and kissed her. JJ quickly overpowered him; they stumbled a few feet back onto the couch.

000

“I brought you some beer.” Hotch handed a red plastic cup to Emily. “One should never be empty handed at these events.”

“Hotch, do you own a pair of jeans?”

“Yes.” His tone was defensive.

“When do you wear them?” Emily could hardly repress her smile.

“Saturdays. Hey, this is a perfectly nice outfit.”

“Yeah, if you're my dad.”

“I am not dressed like your dad.” He took a breath. “Am I really dressed like your dad?”

Hotch wore pressed black slacks and a navy blue Ralph Lauren crew neck sweater. Black shoes were on his feet, Emily’s first thought when she saw them were policeman shoes. OK, so he didn’t look her dad but…yeah, he did actually.

“Drink your beer,” he said.

“You're insistent.”

“If getting sloshed, it’s better to do it on your own. Never give someone else control over that. These parties can go from zero to out of control in a matter of moments.”

Emily nodded as she bopped her head to _Pop Song 89_. Hotch couldn’t help but smile at her being slightly off rhythm. He thought she looked quite pretty in a purple corduroy skirt, black ribbed turtleneck, black tights and purple leather boots. In fact, Hotch found it difficult to stop looking at her.

“Where is the rest of the gang?” Emily asked, drinking slowly from the cup. She never really liked beer. Supposedly, wine coolers and ice filled a downstairs bathtub. She would have to check that theory.

“Derek is in the thick of it; could be hours before I see him again. Garcia is hanging out with her boyfriend Kevin and some of the techies. I last saw JJ talking to David Rossi but I figure you would know better than I where she is off to.”

“And Jason Gideon?”

“He is not the partying type. He receives an invitation every time; Elle is quite diplomatic in her party planning. I think he went out with Sarah tonight; Sarah Bickle from Georgetown Day.”

“Oh.”

“Do you have a crush on Gideon?” Hotch asked.

“I'm sorry.” She pushed hair behind her ear. Hotch noticed she did that a lot…probably a nervous tick.

“It’s alright if you do…expected even. Girls want to love him. I think it’s the eyes, though he is the smartest person I ever met.”

“I don’t have a crush on Jason Gideon.” She stammered, shocked by the direct question.

“I'm just saying that you wouldn’t be alone. Boarding and day school girls all over the Eastern seaboard do. He is selective in whose company he keeps but that never stops them from trying.”

“I can imagine. No actually, I cannot. I don’t have a crush on Jason Gideon though I can admit to finding him a fascinating person. I barely know him though I would like to get to know him better. I want that for all of you.”

“You sat with them for three days.” Hotch switched gears.

“The blondes?”

“Mmm.” He nodded.

“Lets call that a sociological experiment.” Emily said.

“Theory being?”

“Would a girl with no attachments succumb to peer pressure from the most popular entity in a very large school?”

“Don’t give Erin Strauss more credit than she deserves.” Hotch replied.

“I don’t plan on it.”

“So, how did that experiment go?”

“I’d rather eat alone at the empty table for the next year and a half than ever again break bread with her and those Stepford clones.”

“They fear for their legacy, though I never thought someone in high school would care about such a thing. There are only six of them; Elle and the brunettes have them beaten by a mile.”

“I see blondes everyday in the halls.” Emily said.

“They are highly selective…hair color is only one criteria for entry. You got through and you have lovely raven hair.”

“I think they were just trying to get the jump on Elle.”

Hotch smiled. He couldn’t help himself; he brushed a hair behind her ear.

“Hey!” Elle jumped out of nowhere, scaring Hotch. “Emily Prentiss, you're the new girl right? What’s up, IRS?”

“Hey Elle.” Hotch said.

“I'm Emily.”

“Come with me.” a devilish grin crossed her exotic Cuban and Irish face. “You too, IRS?”

They suddenly found themselves rushing through the mass hysteria taking place at the Greenaway home. For Emily it was something only seen in movies. Even though her heart pounded in her chest and she had no clue where she was going, she was ready for the adventure.

000

“Wait, wait, David, stop.” JJ did her best to put distance between them. Her blouse was nearly undone, his feverish kisses still burning her skin. It was hard to breathe and focus; she wanted to be back in his arms. “I'm not doing this.”

“You say that a lot.”

JJ hopped off the couch, her fingers repeatedly trying and failing to button her blouse.

“I have a boyfriend and you know it.”

“Where is he tonight?”

“He’s working. Not all of us were born with silver spoons in our mouth, David.”

“I am not some Polo wearing asshole. Do I look like James Spader to you? Look,” he sat on the arm of the couch. “I actually like Will. He is nice and smart as hell. It’s not my fault I'm in love with his girlfriend.’

“Love…oh please.”

“Don’t make me out to be the bad guy because you don’t want to face how you feel about me. You won't even give me a chance. You think all these things about me and won't give me a chance to prove otherwise.”

“I need to get out of here.”

“The door isn’t locked.” Rossi replied.

“I know that.”

They were quiet for a while, JJ pacing and wringing her hands. David got up and stopped her. He buttoned her blouse while never taking his eyes off her.

“I feel the same way about you as you do about me, I think.” She said. “That doesn’t mean that it’s meant to be some thing. I'm 17 years old; I'm supposed to be impulsive.”

“It could be so much more than random party hookups. The things we do here are belittling what we could have. I can leave Erin; I don’t care about her.”

“I care about Will.”

“Then why do we always end up here? You feel it too…take a chance.”

“I can't.”

“That’s the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard.”

“Well too bad. Goodnight.”

JJ grabbed her half-full bottle of Miller Light and walked out of the room. Halfway down the hall she came face to face with Maleficent and two of her cronies. Erin Strauss was flanked on the right by CeCe Hillenbrand and the left by Trish Davenport.

“Where is David?” she asked, not bothering with the formalities.

“Why don’t you buy him a leash so you can keep him constantly at your side? Do I look like a road map to you?”

“Well from what I hear you’ve seen your fair share of travelers.”

“Go to hell.”

JJ brushed past them and back into the thick of the party.

000

“Its called spin the bottle folks. I think we all remember the rules.”

Nine well-selected teenagers sat in a circle in the Greenaway library. An empty bottle of Jack Daniels sat in the middle of the floor and Romeo Void played on the stereo. Hotch groaned to himself; he hated this sort of thing. Stealing a glance at Emily Prentiss, he could see she was quite uncomfortable too. Peer pressure indeed.

“New girl, you're first.”

“Wait!” Sam Crawford held up his hands. “What if I land on a guy when I spin?”

“Then you kiss him.” Elle replied dismissively.

“No way in hell.”

“Then leave. Damn Sam, there are six girls and three guys…the odds are incredibly low. Stop being a bitch about it. Go ahead new girl.”

“It’s Emily, Emily Prentiss.”

“Right-O. Oh hey, you should come and join us for lunch after break. Gina Sanchez tells me of your ability in political science. That is a valuable commodity to me at the moment.”

“I'm really freelancing right now.” Emily replied. “Lunch table wise, I mean.”

“I understand that. You are the newest exotic fish in a large aquarium; use it to your advantage. It’s an open invite.”

“Thank you.” Emily smiled.

“Now spin.”

Taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes and spun. When she opened them, the trademark black bottle cap pointed at the sensible shoes of Aaron Hotchner.

“No love pecks, IRS, slip her some tongue.”

“Don’t be crude Elle.”

“Why, I'm so good at it. Kiss.”

The whole group chanted it; Hotch really had no choice. Her lips were soft and warm against his own and though he could hardly understand why, the idea of this eventually being over made his stomach hurt. Emily pulled away, smiling slightly as her cheeks colored.

“And now people, the fun begins.” Elle Greenaway announced.

000

“You really don't have to walk me home, Hotch.” Emily said, slipping into the grey peacoat he held open for her. It was almost one a.m. and the party still raged inside. Emily needed to get home before curfew. “It’s not far from here, about a half mile. I will be alright.”

“Have you ever walked the streets of DC alone?” he asked. “Or anywhere alone for that matter?”

“Stop talking to me like I'm a princess or something. I don’t live on top of some damn Ivory Tower.”

“I never said that.”

“You always talk like it. You don’t know me so I would appreciate if you don’t judge me. I am Emily Prentiss, not Elizabeth. Got it?”

“I got it,” Hotch said nodding. “And I'm sorry. I don’t think you're a princess. The streets around here can be dangerous and you are far for sober. If it makes you feel any better, I'm thinking about myself more than you.”

“How do you mean?”

The door came open and a bunch of drunken jocks tumbled out, followed by cheerleaders and a few brunettes. Hotch prayed they were not driving.

“Think about it. Ambassador Prentiss’ youngest daughter disappears walking home from a raucous high school party. It will not take more than a minute for even the Metro Police to trace it back to Elle’s place. Of course, the FBI is going to be involved too…international kidnappings are a big deal right now. They will find out I was the last person with you and we spent the evening making out.”

“We did not.” Emily protested. It was a complete random coincidence that each of her six spins landed on Hotch. Every kiss bettered its predecessor by a mile.

“That’s what they’ll believe. They will think I am some smug rich boy because of who my father was. I won't have a decent alibi since I would have been walking in the opposite direction to a sleeping house when you disappeared. No one other than myself will be able to account for the time. They won't believe me when I tell them you refused to let me walk you home.

“The press will vilify me and soon prosecutors will turn it into you refusing my advances and my hurting you in anger. I won't be going to college in two years because I will probably be in Leavenworth. Everyone will sit around talking about what could have been if he hadn't murdered his girlfriend. So I need to get you safely home to insure matriculation instead of incarceration.”

Emily Prentiss had a drunken, rather graceless laugh. It did not stop Hotch from smiling when he heard it. She slipped her arm in his and they walked down the front steps.

“The linked arms of our coats will cause fiber transfer.” Hotch said.

“Huh?”

“Nothing. I just watch a lot of crime and investigation shows.”

“So do I.”

“Really?”

“Mmm hmm. I find forensics fascinating.”

“I think so too. I have been reading a good deal of books on the subject lately. I think having a good background in it as well as law enforcement could be very good for me. What do you want to be when we emerge from this hell?”

“Anything but my mother.”

“She is quite a successful woman. Not many can claim the accomplishments she can.”

“Yeah, I guess.”

Emily didn’t say anything more about it so neither did he. The night had turned cold but walking suddenly hand and hand down sleepy residential streets, Hotch felt nothing but warmth. He knew it was more than whiskey and beer. He actually had not drank much tonight. It was Emily Prentiss and her expensive but not overbearing perfume. It was Simple Minds still running through his head; dancing with her in the library to _All The Things She Said_.

When was the last time he felt carefree? Had he ever? Jason always told him to beware the freeing effects alcohol had on him. It was all an illusion; the fall was going to kill him. Hotch was always careful with how much he consumed…alcoholism ran on his mother’s side of the family. Still, his classmates indulged in pot, Coke, little colored tabs that took them on marshmallow-filled journeys, and so much more. Beer and a few whiskey shots would not kill him.

“The most fun I had before this was a cocktail party in Moscow. I was 14 and the Ambassador’s son taught me some ancient Russian folk dances.”

“Elle is the reigning queen of the Grove’s social circuit. Joining her at her lunch table could send you into the stratosphere.”

“Why do you care so much where I end up socially?” Emily asked.

“I don’t really. I mean you will make your own decisions. You're the only one who has to live with them.”

“I like being with you…I mean all of you guys. Am I unwelcome?”

“Not to my knowledge.”

“Some say you're the leader of the pack.” She said.

“They would be incorrect. We don’t play those games…we all hang out together. There is no hierarchy, leave that stuff to everyone else at school.”

“That’s what I like, Aaron.” It was the first time she used his first name. “I can just be me; not hide away the silly, strange or geeky parts. You can be yourself, why can't I?”

“I did notice that you were a bit geeky.” Hotch replied.

“Shut up.” Emily’s brown eyes widened, slapping his shoulder.

“All I'm saying is extensive knowledge of Kurt Vonnegut and Trial of the Time Lords is pretty geeky Em.” The nickname slipped out; beer always loosened Hotch’s tongue. When she did not call him on it, he decided not to correct himself. “If your parents are still in Soviet territory then who takes care of you here?”

“Not my parents, just my mother. My father and stepmother live here in DC…they both work for the State Department. My dad worked in Amman for some time and then in Minsk when I was a little girl.”

Hotch nodded. His father passed away a year and a half before from lung cancer. His mother considered taking a job so that he and his ten-year-old brother Sean could continue the life to which they were accustomed. Amelia Hotchner of Manassas, VA never worked a day in her life. He knew it was only a matter of time before he had a stepparent too.

“This is it.” Emily stopped in front of a perfectly manicured lawn. Hotch actually walked a bit ahead, she gently tugged him back.

“Oh my God, there are garden gnomes.” He laughed. “Morgan and I are coming back to steal these.”

“That’s vandalism.”

“I'm in high school, aren’t I allowed a childish prank?”

“I think the point of a prank is not to the let the person you are playing it on…”

Hotch cut her off with a kiss. He pulled her tight against him and never wanted to stop. He had no idea where the feelings came from; he did his best to pay Emily Prentiss no mind. Why he tried so hard he did not know. Was it because he was attracted to her from the moment JJ brought her to their lunch table? Could it even have been hours before in AP Calculus class? After the Haley debacle, putting his heart and soul into something and having it crushed like a bug, Hotch swore off affairs of the heart. At least he thought he had.

I didn’t mean to do that.” he said, pulling away.

“I'm sorry to hear that. I find I like it a lot.”

“So do I.”

“You should get home. Its so late.” Emily said. Her hands remained in his. “I had such a good time tonight. A girl’s first real party should definitely be an Elle Greenaway affair.”

“I had fun too Em. Goodnight.”

“Please be careful walking home.”

“Of course.”

Smiling, she gave him another kiss on the cheek before running up the walk. Hotch waited until she was safely behind the closed door before walking back in the other direction.

***

“What's shakin, pencil dick?” with a sinister laugh right out of the movies, Raphael Hankel shoved Reid.

Spencer tried to stay on his feet but his book bag was too heavy. Teetering for a minute, he landed unceremoniously on his ass. Four bullies surrounded him like vultures on a wounded animal.

“I'm in the mood for a little game of kick the stick.” William Lee said. “How about you guys?”

Reid looked frantically at the four faces. No one else was around…fifth period was lunch and study hall mostly. OK, this didn’t look good but there was a bright side. Frank wasn’t with them. He might be able to try some logic with these guys, talk his way out of it. With Frank, he just kicked your ass and kept walking.

“Guys, seriously, I'm sure you don’t wanna…”

“Shut up.” Mark Gregory, much too handsome to be hanging out with these freaks of nature, picked Reid up until his feet were dangling in the air. He cried out as Mark slammed him into a row of lockers. Hot pain shot through his arm. “Forget kick the stick…I vote for turning genius boy here into a piñata.”

Reid spotted Hotch and Derek coming around the corner before the sociopaths did. His two friends sprang into action.

“Hey freak!” Derek exclaimed. “How would you like to pick on someone your own size?”

It seemed to Reid as if they flew, and suddenly there was a melee. Mark dropped him, causing him to fall on his injured arm. Hands and feet flew everywhere; the tiny 13 year old scrambled to safety. People started coming out of classrooms to see what the commotion was. Frank arrived on the scene, crossing his arms and enjoying the show. Reid prayed for invisibility and got it…he went unnoticed. Gideon and the girls showed up just as Coach Haas and Dr. Cooke, one of the science teachers, broke it up. JJ rushed to Spencer’s side.

“Are you OK, Spencer?”

“My arm really hurts. It might be broken.”

She helped him to his feet while Dr. Cooke demanded to know what was happening. The sociopaths immediately went into a story about an unjustified attack by Hotch and the jock.

“Bullshit! And you know it.”

“Watch your language Morgan.” The coach warned.

“They attacked Spencer Reid.” Hotch was calmer.

“Is that true, Reid?”

“Yes sir.”

“You can all tell your story to the Vice Principal. Let’s go.”

Hotch’s eyes connected with Emily’s. They spent time together over spring break, though he always made sure it was with the gang. He was afraid if alone with her, all he would want was to make out. It wasn’t such a bad thing to do but Emily Prentiss made him want more. He wanted to get to know every facet of her. Suddenly Frank came into his field of vision. He was right next to Emily.

“Hello there, pretty thing.” The calloused pad of his thumb caressed her cheek. Cringing, Emily pushed him away and backed up.

“Keep your damn hands off her!”

“Hotch, don’t!” she exclaimed.

He fought Coach Haas’ grip, quickly becoming a barrier between Frank and Emily. Frank took a step back but not out of fear. He was too insane to fear anything.

“Your girlfriend, Hotchner? She is quite a beautiful specimen. Does she ride as smoothly as a thoroughbred?”

“You stay away from her, or I swear…”

“Are you planning on threatening me in a hall full of witnesses?”

Jason came and grabbed Hotch’s shoulder.

“He is not worth it.” Gideon whispered.

“Listen to your pal, Clark Kent.”

“If you come near her, breathe near her, or even think about her, you will regret it.”

“I'm shaking in my shoes.” Frank replied without feeling.

“Let’s go Hotch,” the coach said. “You need to go to the Vice Principal’s office.”

He looked back once more at Frank and then Emily, who was standing with Garcia. Jason and JJ walked Reid down the hall. He would handle this turn of events later but he would definitely handle it.

***

“I've been looking for you.” Will approached JJ as she kicked around a ball with a few other soccer players on the quad.

“Hey you.” She threw her arms around him, giving him a sweet kiss.

“Can we talk?”

“Sure. Hey Katie…catch!” she kicked the ball to Katherine Cole, a junior who when not dominating the soccer field hung with Elle and the brunettes. “What’s up?”

They started walking across the grass, littered with a variety of students on free period. Warm was not the best way to describe the day. It was still March but quite sunny; spring thaw had arrived.

“How’s Reid?”

“They checked him out at the nurse’s office but then Gideon took him to the hospital. They think his arm is either broken or very badly sprained. I'm just glad Hotch and Derek got there when they did.”

Her boyfriend nodded. JJ studied him intently. Will was a serious guy but there was always an unmistakable sparkle of mischief in his blue eyes. The sparkle was gone today. If JJ thought back, it had been gone for some time. That concerned her because his father was a police detective and Will always worried about him on the dangerous streets of DC.

“What's the matter?” she stopped walking and really focused on him.

“It’s not working.”

“What?”

“You know what, JJ. I...I love you but…”

“But? Will…?”

“I think you love someone else.”

“I don’t.” she shook her head, doing the best to push down the bile of her untruthfulness. Hell, she didn’t know how she felt about anything right now.

“Let’s just say you don’t, for the sake of argument. You still don’t feel about me like I feel about you.”

“We’re kids. Why is everyone trying to grow up so fast? I have my first soccer game of the season next week; I'm captain now. AP Chem is kicking my ass, scouts are irking me, and my dad still doesn’t give a damn. What do you want from me, Will?”

“Tell me you don’t have feelings for David Rossi.” He said.

The sound of his name stopped JJ’s train of thought. She had been good since Elle’s spring break shindig…they had not even seen each other. Still she knew if avoidance was the only way to stay out of his arms there was certainly a problem.

“What do you mean?”

“Don’t insult me JJ. Don’t insult yourself. I cannot compete with him.”

“This isn’t a competition. I don’t want to hurt you.”

“The heart is a very resilient little muscle.” Will replied with a sad chuckle. Taking hold of her shoulders, he kissed her forehead. “I have to go.”

“That’s it? That’s how things end between us?”

“Crazy, isn’t it? I hope it doesn’t sound fake when I say I wanna be friends. You are a very special girl, Jennifer Jarreau. We will always have sophomore dance.”

JJ nodded before turning and rushing away. She had never been dumped before. Will had been her first real boyfriend. Was it normal to feel both sadness and relief?

***

“Hi. I was worried about you.”

Hotch smiled at Emily standing by his locker at the end of eighth period. The hallways were packed; he ran into Haley coming out of AP Lit. She gave him a nasty look while Kate gave him a supposed sweet smile. He hated that she could still get to him. If she wanted nothing to do with him, why didn’t she just leave him alone? Seeing Emily was like taking Tums for the heartburn he felt creeping in.

“He hardly touched me,” he replied.

“Did the nurse check you out thoroughly?” Emily’s tender fingers caressed the lumps and bruises that would soon turn black and blue on Hotch’s face. Her touch caused a fever in him that Aaron Hotchner never felt in his life.

“Em…” he took hold of her hands, had to make her stop. “I'm fine; got a clean bill of health. Raphael and that damn Ronald Weems will be licking their wounds a lot longer than I will.”

“Derek told me in SAT Prep that you guys got three days detention.”

“I'm just glad we weren’t suspended. I can lie to my mom about detention. I never come straight home after school anyway.”

“Maybe I could wait for you after,” she bit her lip. “We could get some pizza.”

“I would love to but it’s a whole hour. You should not be walking around here on your own for that long.”

“I can handle myself Hotch; I am not made of glass. I like so much about you but I hate when you act as if I cannot take care of myself. Anyway, I will be in the computer lab. Garcia is covering today until five. Unless…”

“There is absolutely no unless. I will meet you in the computer lab after purgatory.”

“OK.” Emily smiled. She went to walk away but he stopped her.

“Emily, I need you to be careful. Frank likes to lurk around after school and I don’t want you to run into him.”

“Why is everyone so afraid of him? I mean yeah, he gives me the willies but he is not Jack the Ripper.”

“Not yet. Frank is truly a sociopath; the title is not a joke. Last year there was a string of rapes in the city. Public high school girls were being attacked in the early morning hours and it was a really scary time.”

“I heard about it. I spent some time with my dad here when that was happening. Someone injected them with something and then strangled them unconscious. Hotch, Frank is weird for sure, but a serial rapist...he’s a teenager.”

“So was Ted Bundy once. The police couldn’t prove a thing and Lt. LaMontagne worked that case hard. Frank was a suspect though that was kept under wraps. It was not a well-known drug used and his father runs one of the largest pharmaceutical companies in the country. He walked but I know he’s dangerous. I don’t want any of us to find out the hard way. If he set his sights on you…”

“I’ll avoid him, I promise.”

“Alright.”

“You know if you keep looking out for me the way you do, I may start thinking you have feelings for me.”

He smiled, pulling her back to him and kissing her quickly on the lips. Public displays of affection were discouraged in the halls and Hotch did not like everyone knowing what he was thinking and feeling anyway. He brushed a hair behind her ear.

“I’ll see you in an hour. I’ll come to the lab.”

“Right.”

Emily headed to her own locker; the taste of his lips lingering long after the kiss was over.

***

“Hey Bonnie, is David Rossi around?”

JJ walked into the newspaper office on a Thursday in April. It was raining hard outside and Coach canceled afternoon soccer practice. The team ran drills in the gymnasium. Heather Woodland, her co-captain, was looking after them for now. Bonnie Ryan looked up from the keyboard on which she typed furiously.

“He left about 10 minutes ago; probably on a smoke break.”

“Where does he do that?”

“Usually behind the gymnasium by the dumpsters. It’s kinda seedy but it’s the only place that lacks regular security sweeps. We almost wrote an article about it last year but he didn’t want his hiding place revealed.”

“I bet. Thanks.”

“Hey, are you going to be at Trish Davenport’s on Friday night?”

“Doubtful. See you around.”

“Bye, JJ.”

Her umbrella was in her book bag in the gymnasium so bursting through one of the school’s side doors, JJ did a quick run back over there. It wasn’t too far and she found him, leaning against a pillar with his eyes closed.

“David?”

“What?” he opened his eyes. “Oh hi there.”

“Hi.”

“You're wet.”

“It’s raining. You're smoking behind the gym.”

“Lack of security sweeps. I like it out here; there's solitude.”

“By the dumpsters?” JJ asked with a raised eyebrow.

“That’s right. I'm a dedicated journalist; we shun the clean, fancy places.”

“I’ll make a note of that.”

“You were looking for me?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

“I heard Erin Strauss dumped you.”

“To hear her tell it. I don’t care how it ended, I'm just glad it’s over. I should have done it a long time ago. It’s easy to get complacent. Maybe I liked the spotlight of dating the most popular girl in school.”

“Star athletes get the spotlight too.”

“I like him,” Rossi took a drag of his cigarette. “But Derek Morgan’s not my type.”

JJ smirked.

“You're…”

“What?”

“I don't know.” She shook her head.

“Is that a good thing?”

“I don't know.”

“Why don’t we go out on a real date? I think it’s about time I earned that kiss.”

“I'm free Friday night.” She said.

“So you won't be partying the night away with Trish Davenport and her people?”

“Jocks, blondes, and a random assortment of other people who would get on my nerves? Forgive me if I decline.”

“Done. You like Italian food?”

“Yeah.” She nodded. “I think…” she stepped closer to him. “Since we are really good at the kissing, there is no point in stopping now.”

She wrapped her arms around him as Rossi flicked away his cigarette butt. He wanted to make sure that he did this everyday before graduation and all summer long. Columbia University in the fall suddenly seemed a million miles away.

***

“The sociopaths have you in their crosshairs.”

“Hmm?” Hotch looked up from _Great Expectations_ at Gideon.

He was in the library during sixth period study hall, determined to get the book finished. His grades hadn't suffered but he found his work ethic slipping slightly as he fell harder for Emily Prentiss. It was certainly not her fault; Hotch figured that he was no different from any guy bonkers over a girl. Still, he needed to prioritize. School was very important and the SATs were quickly approaching.

“Raphael and his creepy little brother are practically stalking you.”

“I'm sure their daddy the preacher wasn’t happy about a week’s detention. He probably gave a new meaning to fire and brimstone.”

“Just watch your back.”

“I am Jason.” Hotch sighed. “I'm watching my back, doing a lousy job wooing the most amazing girl ever, keeping up with my school responsibilities, looking after Reid, and being a perfect damn son. Is there anything else you need me to do?”

They were both quiet for a while; Gideon stared down at the wood table. Hotch took a deep breath.

“I'm sorry. I don’t want to take my frustrations out on my friends.”

“You need to strike out at someone.”

“Jason, you have enough on your plate without being my shrink. I'm fine.”

“The incident with Reid was three weeks ago but I sense the worse hasn’t happened yet.” Gideon said.

“Did they threaten him again?”

“No, it’s not Reid. Just a weird feeling I guess. I hate to say that; I don’t want people thinking I'm a psychic or something.”

“My grandmother says a man follows his gut.”

“Yeah, and my gut tells me that Frank is going to hurt someone. He has been quiet for too long. The rape accusations have all but been swept under the rug.”

“Dammit, this is high school. Why do I suddenly feel that my life is a Clancy novel and nothing will ever be the same? Aren’t we supposed to be carefree and having fun? I don’t have the energy to run around like Jack Ryan.”

“Yeah.” Gideon nodded solemnly. “I think we can still have fun while keeping our guard up.”

“I'm not sure I believe that.”

“Are you ready for the SATs?” Jason changed the subject. Hotch was right, things were getting darker. He had two months of high school left…why now did things get crazy. Frank was a ticking time bomb and Jason didn’t want Barton-Cosgrove to bear the brunt of his insanity.

“I am.” Hotch replied. “I only want to take it once; the prep course has been good. Emily and I study together too. Well, we try to.” concealing his grin was useless. Who knew SAT prep was such an effective second base tool. “I just want to wake up and have it be Sunday morning.”

“What are your top three choices?”

“Dartmouth, Yale, and Northwestern.”

“What about Harvard? You're a legacy.”

“That was my father’s dream, not mine. I still intend to do pre-law but Northwestern has a growing forensics program that I find fascinating.”

“What would you do with it?”

“Don’t know yet.” Hotch shrugged. He hadn't told anyone but Emily his dream of one day joining the FBI. She was the only one he thought wouldn’t laugh or shrug it off. “The FBI, one day, maybe.”

“Really? You would be good at that; really good.”

“Thank you. It’s a long way away, if it ever happens. I need to spend some of this study hall actually studying, Jason.”

“I’ll leave you alone. I got Debate after school; you got Student Council?”

“Yeah. Then I'm walking Emily home…she’s on newspaper staff now.”

“OK. See you around.”

Jason left and Hotch went back to Dickens.

***

“I think it might be sacrilege to let those French fries get cold, boss.”

Hotch pushed the fries over to Garcia.

“If you keep looking at them they may come over here. I really don’t want them to come over here.”

“They're not coming over here.” Hotch mumbled.

“Everything alright, Hotch?” Derek asked, sharing fries with Garcia.

“Just fine.”

“Are you sure?” Emily looked up from _Sense and Sensibility_.

“Yeah.” He rubbed her shoulder.

“Raphael and Ronald are looking over here.” Reid was too afraid to do anything but stare at his chicken nuggets. His badly sprained arm was spending its last week in a cast.

“Pay them no mind, Reid. They can come over if they'd like; everyone is invited. They can come over swinging…let’s test their stamina against someone their size who’s a hell of a lot smarter.”

“We need to talk.”

“Huh?”

Emily dragged him up from the table, out of the cafeteria, and into the hallway.

“What is going on with you?” she asked.

“What do you mean?”

“Are you trying to launch a one-man vendetta against the sociopaths? You have been distracted and downright moody lately. You are not _Bullitt_ or in the FBI yet.”

“I…”

“Don’t even try to deny it. Hotch, you are supposed to be relaxing. You made it through SATs and Charles Dickens. The prom is in four weeks. School is practically over. I understand your vigilance and your need to take care of everyone, I really do.” She caressed his face. “Who is supposed to look after you if you don’t?”

“You look after me pretty well, Emily Prentiss.” He slid his arms around her slender waist.

“Don’t try to get on my good side. You drive me crazy sometimes.”

“The good crazy I hope.” He gave her Eskimo kisses.

“Not all the time.”

“Speaking of the prom, my mother insists on going with me to rent the tuxedo but I forgot to ask you what color bowtie and cummerbund I should buy.”

“You forgot to ask me more than that.” Emily replied. She slipped out of his arms, leaning against the wall. She looked so pretty in expensive blue jeans and a maroon v-neck blouse.

“What?”

“What? You're talking about the prom but to my recollection I have not been asked.”

“What?”

“Yeah.”

“I didn’t…?”

“No.” she crossed her arms and shook her head.

“Damn. I really have been single-minded lately, haven’t I?”

“A little bit.”

“I guess I just assumed that you and I…I mean since we’re…well, you're my girlfriend.”

“I am?”

“Of course you are. I have never felt for anyone what I feel for you. You are the only one I want to be with. You just get me.”

“I've never…you're my first boyfriend Hotch. I probably sound like a really big geek but I didn’t want to get my hopes up about something when I was unsure.”

“Why didn’t you ask?”

“Why didn't you say?” she countered.

“Because I'm an idiot sometimes.” He held her in his arms again. “You are my girlfriend, Emily Prentiss, and my prom date. I adore you so much that sometimes words fail me.”

She smiled, toying with the collar of his Polo shirt.

“Then I think you should go this weekend with your mom and rent that tuxedo. You will need a silver bowtie and cummerbund.”

“OK.” he kissed her lips.

“Good. And lay off Raphael and those guys. Do not let them ruin the rest of your school year. They know they are getting to you and it gives them a sick satisfaction.”

“I know. Frank hasn’t…”

“I haven’t seen him.”

Hotch nodded. That did not mean he had stopped whatever he was planning. It just meant he was getting better at it. That was a truly scary thought.

“C’mon, we only have about 10 minutes of lunch left. I don’t want Derek and Garcia to eat my burger.”

***

Watching her was easier than he imagined. It was surprising that she had no Secret Service agents considering who her mother was. Not that her father was a nobody down at the State Department. He figured that her parents wanted her to have a sense of normalcy. All the better for him really. A Lincoln Towncar drove her to school each morning and she came home with Aaron Hotchner sometime between four and five. There were days she invited him in and Frank knew he was in there touching her. He never stayed longer than an hour.

She ran on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday evenings at 6, along with Saturday mornings at 8. Her parents did not get home until 8:30 nearly every night he had been out there watching. That would leave at least a two hour window of opportunity on a Wednesday evening…Fridays were too unpredictable. Frank would definitely need time when he got his hands on the lovely Emily Prentiss. She was going to be very special.

It was his biggest risk to date; she was an Ambassador’s daughter after all. He couldn’t help it though…he needed to possess her. In his dreams, he imagined her crying, begging him to stop, and screaming for Aaron Hotchner to save her. Except, Hotch would never come. She would be all his and there was nothing anyone could do about it. The idea did not really pain him, but he would have to kill her when he was through.

This afternoon he followed her through DC as she went dress shopping with Jennifer Jarreau and that strange computer girl whose name he never remembered. Store after store, rack after rack of silly dresses. He loved the way she laughed when she was at ease and got angry knowing she would never laugh that way with him. She probably laughed that way with Hotch. He would never laugh again after Frank snuffed out the life of the girl he loved. Killing two birds with one stone, he would own her and destroy that damn Boy Scout. He would call it a graduation gift to himself. Frank was about to enter the big time.

***

David Rossi relaxed on JJ’s very girly bed on a rainy Wednesday evening. Everything in the room was purple or lavender, even the bedclothes. Despite that, it was comfortable and roomy. She had a desk with a computer, two small bookshelves, a chest of drawers, and a nightstand. All the furniture was light colored wood and there was an awesome lavender over stuffed chair in the corner by her window.

Posters adorned the walls, Queen, Pretty in Pink, Amadeus, and The Lost Boys. Trophies were all over the room too. Before JJ set her focus solely on soccer, she was a top-notch volleyball player. Everyone assumed she had a scholarship to the Grove because her family was poor. Rossi himself once believed it. The Jarreaus weren’t rolling in dough like some families but they weren’t steps from homeless either.

Her father was a mid level financial analyst at Waverly-Plimpton and her mother a surgical nurse at GW Medical Center. They could afford to send their youngest son Michael to Gonzanga. JJ’s older brother Hunter was a running back at Ohio State University. The more David learned about Jennifer Anne Jarreau, the harder he fell. He was regretful of the time they didn’t have…he would head to New York in early August. Surely, there would be beautiful, intriguing women at Columbia (and Barnard for that matter) but he wanted to be her man.

“What are we doing again?”

“David!” JJ laughed, slapping his shoulder. “Get serious, the test is on Friday.”

“OK, OK, potassium.” He read from the card.

“Atomic #19, K.”

“Iodine.”

“Atomic #53, I.”

“Cobalt.”

“Atomic #28, Co.”

“Its atomic number is 27.”

“Damn.” JJ sipped her Diet Coke.

“It’s fine; you're doing fine. Bromine.”

“Atomic #35, Br.”

“Thallium. OK JJ, I don’t think all the weird ones will be on the test.”

“At least 50 will and Cooke can get random. I need to know them all. Keep going.”

“Thallium.” He repeated.

“Atomic #81, Tl.”

“Cerium.”

“Atomic #56…no 58, Ce.”

“That’s it; you're already five times smarter than I am. Study break.”

JJ protested, weakly, as David set aside the 3x5 cards and pulled her onto the bed with him.

“David...we…”

“No talking, just kissing. We have some terrific chemistry happening right here. It could be on the test; you need to concentrate.”

She couldn’t help but smile. She was so crazy about him that her head spun and her toes tingled. That was not the only part of her that tingled. David murmured between kisses to ignore the ringing telephone. JJ liked the sound of that but her gut told her otherwise. She grabbed it, holding David at arm’s length. He dodged that and nibbled on her neck.

“Hello.”

“JJ, its mom.”

“Hey mom.”

David stopped. Nothing ruined a make out session like a call from your mother.

“Sweetie, I don’t want to alarm you but your friend Emily was just wheeled into the ER. She seems to be in a very bad way.”

“Oh my God, what happened?”

“I don’t know. The police are here and the situation looks serious. I don’t see her parents yet.”

“I'm on my way. Bye.”

“What's the matter?” David asked.

“Emily is in the hospital. I don’t know what happened.”

“C'mon, I’ll drive.”

***

His head pounded; his heart raced so quickly he was sure it was about to jump out of his chest. The elevator was too damn slow. Hotch paced the floor as it slowly moved up the cable. It finally opened; he rushed off and down the hall. All he knew was that she was hurt. JJ said she was hurt, admitted almost immediately.

The seventh floor of GW Medical Center was where they kept people of importance. President Reagan recovered there after Hinckley shot him. What could have possibly happened to her? He dropped her home at quarter to five. He wanted to go in but had to get home to look after Sean.

If only he would have stayed…maybe, she wouldn’t be here. Of course, Hotch still didn’t know what happened. As much as the pain in his stomach told him this was not an accident, he pushed it away. He went up to the large security station. That and two sliding glass doors, probably bulletproof, separated him from her.

“Emily Prentiss…I'm here to see Emily Prentiss.”

“Name?”

“Emily Prentiss.” Hotch repeated.

“Your name please, son?”

“Aaron Hotchner.” He fidgeted as the guard took his time looking through the log. He wanted to grab him by the lapels and shake him. Hurry up!

“He’s on the list.”

The second guard buzzed the doors, telling him to go through.

“What room number?”

“That’s classified. Someone inside will help you.”

Hotch bolted through the half-open doors as if they would quickly shut and leave him on the other side. It seemed almost like a hospital in itself. He rushed around blindly, as if suddenly transported into a Polanski film, seeing everything move too quickly and in funny colors. He nearly mowed down Gregory Prentiss.

“Whoa Hotch, slow down son.”

“Where is she? Is she alright?”

“She is resting.”

“What happened?”

“Emily was attacked.”

“Oh God, damn, dammit!” Hotch’s knees went weak but he remained standing. He leaned against the wall for support, closing his eyes. Waves of nausea ran through him. “Frank.”

“Emily couldn’t give a statement to the police; she was incoherent from the drugs. She was drugged, strangled, and…”

“Raped?” the word hardly escaped Hotch’s throat. He thought back to just a few nights before, kissing in her bedroom. The way she held him off, blushing profusely, telling him how much she desired him but had never made love to a man. Oh God was he fainting or was the room moving? Please God, he prayed, don’t let him have hurt her like that.

“The doctors who examined her say there is no sign of sexual trauma but…”

“How did she get away from him? Help me understand.”

“She fought like hell. They found a drug in her bloodstream called…”

“Gamma-hydroxybutyric acid, right?”

“How did you know?” the former Ambassador asked.

“It’s the same as the girls raped last year, sir.”

“Yeah,” he nodded. “He apparently didn’t give her as much. They found the needle halfway across the room; maybe she pulled it out. He strangled her but Emily fought back. There was a struggle in her bedroom, the hallway, all the way down the stairs and into the foyer. She stumbled out of the house half-dressed and managed to make it across the street to a neighbor. The doctor said she had to be running purely on adrenaline at that point. They called 911. Emily was incoherent, barely conscious when the police and ambulance arrived. She only mumbled two names, Frank and Hotch.”

“I need to see her sir, please.” Hotch didn’t mean to grab her father as hard as he did. He would not be sure that Emily was alright until he saw her with his own eyes; felt her with his own hands.

“She is asleep; in deep sleep. It could be 12 to 15 hours before that drug is out of her system. JJ and her stepmother are in with her; you need to talk to the police.”

Hotch nodded, though he barely understood. He was still worried about Emily but another feeling ran through his veins like ice water. It was pure hate and when he got his hands on Frank, he would kill him. He would die slowly and painfully; the same thing he probably planned for Emily.

“Is he in custody?” Hotch asked.

“Police are combing the city as we speak. Now you're under 18 son so I will sit with you during the questioning. Unless you would prefer we call your mother.”

There was no point in worrying her. The last thing Hotch needed tonight was Amelia Hotchner doing her bad impression of Vivien Leigh. He tried to catch his breath.

“No sir lets get this over with so I can be with Emily.”

They walked down the hall to the swankiest hospital waiting room Hotch ever saw. Lieutenant William LaMontagne, Sr. stood from his chair.

“How ya doing, Hotch?” the veteran detective extended his hand.

“I'm a few steps from numb, sir. Ask me whatever questions you have to.”

“Sit down. I will make this as fast and thorough as I can.”

***

Hotch woke the next morning to the feeling of soft fingers running through his hair. He could still hear the rain falling outside. The pain in his neck and shoulders at his first attempt to sit up caused Hotch to grimace. The second attempt was successful and he looked into the sleepy, smiling face of Emily Prentiss.

“I'm in the hospital?” she asked.

“The secure wing of GW Medical Center; you're totally safe. Your father and stepmother should be back soon. I stayed all night.”

“You didn’t have to do that.”

“I was so worried about you, Em.” He took hold of her hand and Emily squeezed.

“Frank tried to kill me Hotch. You warned me and I thought I took it seriously but…he was hiding in my closet. He was in my house and I didn’t even know it. He jumped me from behind.”

“Lieutenant LaMontagne is going to question you later about what happened.”

“I fought him off as best I could.”

Hotch told her that she did a good job. No one would be able to hurt her with all of the security floating around this unit.

“Did someone call my mother?” Emily asked.

“I'm sure your dad did. I don’t know what he told her because I'm sure he didn’t want her to worry. Flights from Odessa into Dulles are probably not easy to secure.”

“She has a private plane.” Emily replied almost as an afterthought.

“Emily, I…did he…?”

“No.” she shook her head. “I pretended to be unconscious so he would stop strangling me. He touched me and it made me sick but I had to let him think that I was unconscious. When I jumped up, I think it caught him off guard. That gave me enough time to run. I remember fighting him in the hallway but everything else is a blur until I woke up here. Oh God, did he catch me?”

There was panic in her voice. Hotch climbed up on the bed with her, taking her into his arms.

“No. You made it out of the house and across the street to a neighbor’s. They called the police.”

“Is Frank under arrest?”

“I really don’t know.” Hotch kissed her forehead. “They were still searching for him last night. You should probably go back to sleep…the police are going to have a lot of questions later.”

“Stay.” She held on to his Led Zeppelin tee shirt.

“I plan on it.”

“You stayed all night.” Emily said, closing her eyes and smiling.

“I would do it again.”

“You're amazing, Aaron Hotchner.”

 _No_ , Hotch thought, _I'm just a guy in love_.

***

“I am going on the junior prom and the sophomore dance.” Garcia said, sitting at the table with her chicken fajitas. “I am a very lucky girl indeed. Can you believe my stepdad wanted me to wear the same dress? Sometimes he can be such a cheapskate.”

“He should have extra money from all that free cable.”

“That’s what I'm saying Reid. I got two dresses. Well, one and a half…I'm still building my second one.”

“And you're going to help me out with that thing we talked about, right?” Hotch asked.

“You are as good as set, boss. Tomorrow afternoon in my bedroom.”

“Whoa mama, whoa. What is Hotch going to be doing in your bedroom?”

“Don’t worry love of my life.” She pinched Derek’s cheeks between her thumb and forefinger. “You're still number one in my heart.”

“Garcia is teaching Hotch to dance.” Reid said, his eyes still focused on his number seek and find.

“You can't dance, Hotch?”

“You must have purged sophomore dance from your memory.” Gideon mumbled. He was reading Beowulf for his European Literature final.

“Since I was there with Kate Joyner you already know the answer to that.”

“I can dance.” Hotch replied.

“Well, you can kinda move your feet and sometimes your arms.” Garcia said. “Though I've never seen you move both at the same time.”

“But at last year’s dance…”

“I held up the wall, Morgan. Sometimes I warmed the chairs.”

“You did do a bad Cabbage Patch.”

“You weren’t even there, Reid.”

“Gideon told me.”

“Thanks for nothing.” Hotch glared at him.

“How is Emily?” Garcia changed the subject. “I wanted to call her but I knew she was resting. Kevin and I sent a card and some flowers.”

“They released her this morning. Her father wants her to rest over the weekend. She is hoping to be back in school Monday or Tuesday.”

“Frank is in jail where he belongs.” Reid said.

“There is enough circumstantial evidence to put him away for a long time. He is never going to confess or take a plea so Emily is concerned she might have to testify.”

“He’ll take a plea.” Gideon said.

“How do you figure?” Derek asked. He ignored Garcia’s slapping hands as he picked off a few of her tater tots.

“Pressure from his father, who does not want his name soiled all over the Washington Post. Not to mention other important newspapers all over the country. Also, if the prosecution asks for a psych evaluation that crazy bastard will never get out of an insane asylum.”

“Sociopaths have a tendency to beat those tests.” Reid replied, pushing his glasses back up. “They can become whatever they think the tester wants.”

“Lets not talk about him getting out.” Hotch said with a shudder. “He needs to be under the jail.”

“Hey guys.” JJ came up to the table with David Rossi.

“Did you nail Cooke’s test?” Morgan asked.

“Damn right. You guys know David Rossi?”

Hellos and handshakes went around the table. He sat down with their trays.

“I liked your article about the mentoring program the Grove has with inner city elementary schools.” Gideon said.

“Thanks. I liked that Bundy paper you wrote for the American University Psychology Forum.”

“You read that?”

“I did.” Rossi nodded.

“See Gideon,” Derek said. “Someone other than your mom and Reid enjoyed it.”

“Ha ha.”

“How's Em?” JJ asked.

“Home now. She will be back in school next week. Do you know if there is any truth to the rumor that Elle got Fusion’s DJ for the prom? It’s spreading around here like wildfire.”

“Ask lover boy.” Garcia pointed to Derek. “He is the one escorting her on the big night.”

“You're dating Elle?” JJ asked.

“Be careful of your answer.” Garcia warned.

“I can't help it if my abundant charm is irresistible to women.” Derek replied laughing. She still won't tell me anything that goes on behind Prom Committee doors. I have seen Senate hearings with less secrecy. She just said it will be a night to remember.”

“I hope it helps us forget.” JJ said. “Recent events out of our control should not mar what has otherwise been such an incredible junior year.”

***

_Close your eyes, give me your hand, darling_  
Do you feel my heart beating?  
Do you understand?  
Do you feel the same?  
Am I only dreaming?  
Or is this burning an eternal flame

Hotch held tight to Emily as they swayed across the dance floor. Students filled the ballroom of the Renaissance Washington Hotel as the Barton-Cosgrove Junior Prom swung into its second hour. It was an exciting place…everyone laughing, dancing, and posing for photos. The events of two weeks before nearly forgotten except by the people who lived through them. Frank was in jail now; held without bail for the attempted rape of Emily Prentiss and on suspicion of seven rapes in the District last year.

As their prom song ended and the more upbeat dance of Running Down a Dream started, he took her hand and they went back to their table. JJ and Rossi were there, engaging in what had become their nearly patented bicker and banter. Garcia got up to pull her boyfriend Kevin Lynch onto the dance floor. Even though he danced worse than Hotch, if that were possible, he was excited because she was.

“Elle got a suite for afterward.” JJ said. “There will be the after party to end all parties.”

“We’ll probably all be kicked out for a noise violation.” Hotch replied.

“Don’t be a spoiled sport.” Emily told him.

He smiled, pulling her close and kissing her lips.

“I've never seen something so amazing set up by a group of teenagers.” Emily mused.

“Wealthy, innovative teenagers.” Rossi replied. “How did they do things at your last school?”

“This is actually my first school. I've had private tutors because of my parents’ busy traveling schedule and heavy workload.”

“Well I hope the events of the past few months have not soured your thoughts on the Grove.”

“On the contrary.” She slipped her hand into Hotch’s. “Some moments have been pure bliss.”

“Hey.” Gideon sat down at the table.

“Gideon, I don’t think this year’s record will ever be broken.” JJ said.

“What do you mean?” Emily asked.

“Last year Jason went on three junior proms and two senior proms.” Hotch said. “What is the tally this year?”

“Three junior proms and four senior proms, including my own.” Jason replied. “I actually had to turn down someone because her prom is on the same night as ours. The next three weeks are going to be very busy.”

“I would say so.” Rossi snickered.

“I seem to have lost my date.”

Olivia Hopkins, high on the totem pole with the brunettes, was most likely swinging on the dance floor. Bon Jovi was singing Born to be My Baby.

“She’ll be back.” JJ replied laughing. “You're a prom magnet…the girls can't resist you.”

For once Jason pursued instead of the other way around. The beautiful African-American with the doe brown eyes and mass of curls first caught his attention in psychology class. Rarely finding himself smitten, Jason proceeded with caution but won out in the end. She was just as intrigued as he was.

“Guys, we need to get our group shots done before the photographer leaves at eleven.” Derek said. He and Elle came back to the table with Olivia. She plopped on Jason’s lap and Derek saw his friend smile like never before. So, the cool cucumber did have those feelings.

“Somebody needs to grab Garcia.” JJ said. “And save Kevin while you're at it.”

“They’re getting down.” Elle said, laughing.

“Is that what you call it?” Rossi asked.

“I’ll go.” Hotch volunteered. “You guys save our space in line.”

Emily asked if he wanted company but he shook his head, kissing her again.

“I’ll be right back.”

“Alright.”

He watched her walk away with JJ and the other girls laughing and talking. He hoped and prayed every night that she was OK. Tonight it looked as if his prayers were answered. It was hard for Hotch to make his way through the throngs of people…there wasn’t an empty space. Why was it so hard to spot Penelope in her homemade creation of white corset top, green bolero jacket and green satin and tulle skirt? Haley popped up from nowhere, causing him to take a step back.

“Hey there Aaron.”

“Hi.” She never talked that sweetly to him before. He could not help but feel he was about to be hit in the gut.

“You look handsome tonight.” She went to play with his bowtie but he moved away.

“Thank you.”

“You and Emily Prentiss seem quite cozy.”

“Happy couples tend to. Have you seen Penelope Garcia?” he asked, needing to end this conversation as soon as possible.

“I assure you that I was not looking.” Haley replied.

“Yeah. Excuse me.”

He walked away, finally spotting Kevin and Garcia bouncing around on the dance floor. They were laughing and having the time of their lives as the opening riff of _Falling to Pieces_ blasted over the speakers.

“Group shots guys. Derek is holding our space in line.”

“Elle can't be in our family photo.” Garcia replied as they made their way across the large ballroom.

“You can tell her that honey.” Kevin replied.

“I don’t think that will be a problem.”

“She doesn’t want her anywhere near her sugar lips.” Hotch told Kevin.

“Believe me Hotch, I know.”

Bunches of brunettes already gathered by the photographer’s wall so it looked as if Elle was otherwise engaged now.

“How are we doing this?” JJ asked.

“The six of us.” Garcia said.

“I definitely don’t have a problem with that.” Rossi said.

“Thanks Dave.” Hotch said.

“Hey man, I'm going home with her.”

“You wish.” JJ said, slapping his arm.

“I’ll stand next to Derek.” Garcia said, sliding her arm in his.

“Definitely, baby girl.”

“I guess that leaves you and me, Gideon.” JJ stood next to him as they squeezed in front of the backdrop in the school colors of maroon in black.

“I think Garcia might clash with the backdrop.” Emily said, one arm draped around JJ and the other firmly around Hotch.

“Its called style Prentiss and I have it by the ton.”

They all laughed as the photographer took three portraits. Figuring it might be the last time all six of them were together, they wanted it to be perfect and it was.

***


End file.
